Method and apparatus for establishing communication between an image photographing apparatus and a user device

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for establishing communication between an image photographing apparatus and a user device is provided. In one implementation, the image photographing apparatus includes a communication module; a short-distance wireless communication module; and a controller. When tagging between the image photographing apparatus and a user device occurs, the short-distance wireless communication module provides connection information to the user device via short-distance wireless communication, the controller activates the communication module, and the communication module establishes communication with the user device using the connection information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/308,908, filed Jun. 19, 2014, which claims the priority benefit under35 U.S.C. §119(a) from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0091077,filed on Jul. 31, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present disclosure relate toan image photographing apparatus, a user device, and a method forestablishing communication between the image photographing apparatus andthe user device, and more particularly, to an image photographingapparatus, a user device, and a method for establishing communicationbetween the image photographing apparatus and the user device usingshort-distance wireless communication.

2. Description of the Related Art

By virtue of the development of electronic technologies, various typesof electronic devices have been developed and become widespread, andexchanging wireless communication and information between electronicdevices has become easier. In particular, as user devices such asportable phones, smart phones, tablet personal computers (PCs), etc.have become widespread, wireless communication between electronicdevices and user devices has gradually increased. User devices are moreeasily controlled and thus more users are using wireless communicationto control user devices with electronic devices or to controlinformation on electronic devices with user devices.

In particular, as image photographing apparatuses and user devices havebecome widespread, it is now possible to transmit an image captured byan image photographing apparatus to a user device and to store orcontrol the image with the user device or to control the imagephotographing apparatus with the user device during photography viacommunication between the image photographing apparatus and the userdevice.

However, in order to establish wireless communication between an imagephotographing apparatus and the user device, a user needs to go throughthe inconvenience of adjusting the settings or otherwise manipulatingeach device separately.

Accordingly, there is a need for a technology for establishing wirelesscommunication between an image photographing apparatus and a user devicevia a simple user manipulation.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the invention overcome the above disadvantagesand other disadvantages not described above. However, the embodimentsdescribed herein are not required to overcome the disadvantagesdescribed above, and some embodiments may not overcome any of theproblems described above.

An embodiment of the invention provides an image photographingapparatus, a user device, and a method for establishing communicationbetween the image photographing apparatus and the user device usingshort-distance wireless communication.

According to an embodiment, an image photographing apparatus includes acommunication module; a short-distance wireless communication module;and a controller. When tagging between the image photographing apparatusand a user device occurs, the short-distance wireless communicationmodule provides connection information to the user device viashort-distance wireless communication, the controller activates thecommunication module, and the communication module establishescommunication with the user device using the connection information.

The short-distance wireless communication module may generate aninterrupt signal to the controller when the tagging occurs, and thecontroller may activate the communication module when the interruptsignal is received.

The controller may periodically check whether a near field communication(NFC) signal is input from the short-distance wireless communicationmodule, and activate the communication module when the NFC signal isinput.

The controller may provide a live view to the user device whencommunication with the user device is established and a pre-view modefor displaying the live view is selected. The controller may alsoprovide a content reproduction image to the user device through thecommunication module when a reproduction mode for reproduction ofcontent is selected.

The short-distance wireless communication module may receive positioninformation of the user device when re-tagging between the imagephotographing apparatus and the user device occurs during an operationin the pre-view mode. The controller may match a captured image and theposition information when the image is captured.

According to another embodiment, a user device includes a communicationmodule configured to perform communication; a short-distance wirelesscommunication module configured to perform short-distance wirelesscommunication with an image photographing apparatus to read connectioninformation stored in the image photographing apparatus when taggingbetween the user device and the image photographing apparatus occurs;and a controller configured to activate the communication module into anactive state in which the communication module establishes communicationwith the image photographing apparatus using the read connectioninformation.

The short-distance wireless communication module may read additionalinformation from the image photographing apparatus, and the controllermay automatically perform an operation corresponding to the additionalinformation when the additional information is read.

The user device may also include a display. The controller may receive alive view through the communication module and display the live view onthe display when the communication with the image photographingapparatus is established and the image photographing apparatus operatesin a pre-view mode for displaying the live view. The controller mayreceive content through the communication module and display the contenton the display when the image photographing apparatus operates in areproduction mode for reproduction of the captured content.

The controller may transmit position information to the imagephotographing apparatus through the communication module when the liveview is received through the communication module and displayed, whentagging between the user device and the image photographing apparatusoccurs.

According to another embodiment, a method for establishing communicationwith a user device is carried out by an image photographing apparatus.In this embodiment, the method, which is carried out when taggingbetween the user device and the image photographing apparatus occurs,includes performing short-distance wireless communication with the userdevice using a short-distance wireless communication module; providingconnection information to the user device via the short-distancecommunication; automatically converting a communication module in aninactive state into an active state; and automatically establishingcommunication with the user device using the connection information andthe activated communication module.

The method may also include checking whether an interrupt signal isgenerated from the short-distance wireless communication module as aresult of the tagging. If the interrupt signal is generated, thecommunication module may automatically be converted into the activestate.

The method may further include periodically checking whether a nearfield communication (NFC) signal is input from the short-distancewireless communication module. The communication module mayautomatically be converted into the active state when the NFC signal isinput.

The method may also include providing a live view to the user devicethrough the communication module when a pre-view mode for displaying thelive view is performed; and providing a content reproduction image tothe user device through the communication module when a reproductionmode for reproduction of content is performed.

The method may also include receiving position information of the userdevice through the short-distance wireless communication module whenre-tagging between the image photographing device and the user device isperformed during an operation in the pre-view mode; and matching andstoring a captured image and the position information when the image iscaptured.

According to yet another embodiment, a method for establishingcommunication with an image photographing apparatus is carried out by auser device. In this embodiment, the method includes performingshort-distance wireless communication with the image photographingapparatus when tagging between the user device and the imagephotographing apparatus occurs; reading connection information stored inthe image photographing apparatus via the short-distance wirelesscommunication; automatically activating a communication module; andautomatically establishing communication with the image photographingapparatus using the read connection information and the activatedcommunication module.

The method may further include reading additional information from theimage photographing apparatus; and automatically performing an operationcorresponding to the additional information when the additionalinformation is read.

The method may also include receiving a live view through thecommunication module and displaying the live view when the communicationwith the image photographing apparatus is established and the imagephotographing apparatus operates in a pre-view mode for displaying thelive view; and receiving content through the communication module anddisplaying the content when the image photographing apparatus operatesin a reproduction mode for reproduction of the captured content.

The method may also include transmitting position information to theimage photographing apparatus through the short-distance wirelesscommunication module when the live view is received through thecommunication module and displayed and tagging between the imagephotographing apparatus and the user device occurs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects will be more apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an image photographing apparatus and a userdevice according to an embodiment;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a schematic block diagrams illustrating theconfiguration and connection of an image photographing apparatus and auser device, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating configuration of a user deviceaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explanation of a method for automaticallyestablishing communication between an image photographing apparatus anda user device using an NFC communication method according to anembodiment;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating a generated signal duringshort-distance wireless communication according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for receiving position informationfrom a user device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for displaying a function appropriatefor a photograph mode of an image photographing apparatus by a userdevice according to an embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a controlling method for displaying a functionappropriate for a photograph mode to a user device by an imagephotographing apparatus according to an embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for establishing communication of animage photographing apparatus according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for establishing communication of auser device according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described in greater detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings. A detailed description ofknown functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omittedwhen it may make the subject matter unclear. The terms used in thespecification are defined in consideration of functions used in thisdisclosure, and can be changed according to the intent or conventionallyused methods of clients, operators, and users. Accordingly, definitionsof the terms should be understood on the basis of the entire descriptionof the specification.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an image photographing apparatus 100 and a userdevice 200 according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, theimage photographing apparatus 100 may be a digital camera but is purelyexemplary. Thus the image photographing apparatus 100 may be embodied asany of various electronic devices such as a camcorder, a smart phone, atablet personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.that include an image capturer 160. In addition, the user device 200 maybe a portable phone but is purely exemplary. The user device 200 may beembodied as any of various electronic devices such as a tablet PC, adigital camera, a camcorder, a notebook PC, a PDA, a TV, etc. thatinclude a display 240.

The image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 includerespective short-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220that perform short-distance wireless communication. The short-distancewireless communication may be near field communication (NFC). That is, athe short-distance wireless communication module 220 may communicatewith the short-distance wireless communication module 120 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 by NFC communication when the user device200 tags the photographing apparatus 100 on a portion of thephotographing apparatus 100 containing the short-range wirelesscommunication module.

“NFC communication” refers to a contactless short-distance wirelesscommunication technology that uses a frequency band of 13.56 MHz andtransmits data between user devices at a relatively short distance—e.g.,within 10 cm. NFC communication technology may be used to transferinformation, etc., as well as to provide data communication between userdevices (e.g., smart phones) or a user device and a tag. In addition,NFC technology provides compatibility with a conventional smart card andradio frequency identification (RFID) and thus may partially useexisting infrastructures.

RFID technology supports only simplex communication between active typeread/write and a passive tag while NFC technology enables two-waycommunication between active type devices as well as simplexcommunication. Thus the NFC Forum specifies two modes that are appliedbased on this technology.

A first mode is a card emulation mode for an operation as a passive tagof a contactless IC card type. In the card emulation mode, informationstored in a device is transmitted to an external active user device. Thecard emulation mode is used in various fields such as contactless mobilepayment, user authentication, etc. Thus, application services of thecard emulation mode have been actively developed.

A second mode is a Read/Wire (R/W) mode for reading and recordingexternal passive tag information. This mode may provide applicationservices using electronic posters, information inquiry and record, etc.Comparing the R/W mode with a QR code technology, the QR code technologyrequires the use of separate application to accurately recognize a QRcode, but the R/W mode of NFC allows obtaining external tag informationsimply and intuitively via an NFC support device.

A last mode is a peer-to-peer (P2P) mode. In the P2P mode, two NFCsupport user devices establish a connection therebetween viacommunication in an active mode to transmit multimedia data and otherinformation. The P2P mode may usually provide application servicesthrough the exchange of an electronic card, a picture, or voice data,and the exchange of information and data for Bluetooth and WiFiconnections.

When the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200engage in short-distance wireless communication using NFC communication,the short-distance wireless communication may be performed in any one ofthe card emulation mode, the R/W mode, and the P2P mode.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a portion of the surface of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 contains an NFC communication module(including an NFC antenna and an NFC tag chip) and one surface of theuser device 200 includes an NFC communication module. Short-distancewireless communication between the two devices may be performed bytagging (touching or coming close to) surface of the user device 200having the NFC reader on the portion of the image photographingapparatus containing the NFC communication module.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration andconnection of the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device200. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image photographing apparatus 100 andthe user device 200 include communication modules 110 and 210,short-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220, andcontrollers 130 and 230, respectively. In addition, the communicationmodules 110 and 210 of the image photographing apparatus 100 and theuser device 200 may perform wireless communication and theshort-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 may performshort-distance wireless communication.

The image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200(electronic devices) carry out wireless communication with one anotherusing the communication modules 110 and 210. The image photographingapparatus 100 and the user device 200 may carry out wirelesscommunication using WiFi or a Bluetooth®.

WiFi communication refers to a series of technologies for supportingconnection between IEEE 802.11-based wireless local area networks(LANs), connection between devices, configuration of LANs, wide areanetworks, personal area networks, etc. WiFi communication basicallyrefers to communication between a user device and an access point (AP)for transmitting data over the Internet. The user device may includecomponent hardware such as a wireless LAN card in order to carry outWiFi communication and may include a device driver to enable anoperating system (OS) to recognizing the wireless LAN card.

Bluetooth® enables communication between various user devices using theIEEE 802.15.1 standard. The frequencies used in Bluetooth® communicationare at or near 2.45 GHz, which is an ISM band. In versions 1.1 and 1.2,the data rate reaches 723.1 kbps. Version 2.0 has the enhanced data rate(EDR) feature that reaches a data rate of 2.1 Mbps. One of the conceptsof Bluetooth® is that it replaces a wired universal serial bus (USB) anduses secure and fast encryption routine (SAFER)+for encryption in orderto achieve pairing using a keyword.

Thus, the communication modules 110 and 210 may include variouscommunication chips such as a WiFi chip, a Bluetooth® chip, a wirelesscommunication chip, etc. which perform communication via WiFi or theBluetooth®. When a WiFi chip or a Bluetooth chip is used, variousconnection information, such as an SSID, a session key, etc., may betransmitted and received prior to communication. Then, communication maybe established, after which various types of information may betransmitted and received. “Wireless communication chip” refers to a chipfor communication according to various communication standards such asIEEE, Zigbee, 3rd generation (3G), 3rd generation partnership project(3GPP), long term evolution (LTE), etc.

The communication modules 110 and 210 may be maintained in an inactivestate prior to the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device200 tagging, and then activated when the two devices tag.

The short-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220 may beconfigured for short-distance wireless communication with an externalelectronic device and may perform short-distance wireless communicationwhen the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 arecompletely tagged.

When NFC communication is used for the short-distance wirelesscommunication, the short-distance wireless communication module 120 ofthe image photographing apparatus 100 may include an NFC tag chip and anNFC antenna. When the user device 200 tags the image photographingapparatus, the NFC antenna receives current contained in the user device200 and generates a magnetic field to operate the NFC tag chip. Whenoperating, the NFC tag chip may transmit an interrupt signal or an NFCsignal to the controller 130. In addition, the NFC tag chip and thecontroller 130 are connected via a communication port (I2C, SPI, serial,etc.). When connection is established via the communication port, theNFC tag chip may transmit a degree by which wireless communication isestablished with the user device 200 to the controller 130 through thecommunication port.

The NFC tag chip may include a non-volatile memory (e.g., an NVRAM) anda volatile memory (e.g., a RAM), store connection information andadditional information, and transmit connection information to the userdevice 200 by tagged by the user device 200. That is, unchangeddedicated information of the image photographing apparatus 100 may bestored in the non-volatile memory and information that is transmitted toand received from the user device 200 in real time may be stored in thenon-volatile memory.

The connection information may be service set identifier (SSID)information stored in the NFC tag chip and the additional informationmay be Uniform Resource Locator (URL) information. The SSID informationmay be information for used by the user device 200 to pair with theimage photographing apparatus 100. The URL information refers to adownload address of an application that is supposed to be displayed oran address of an application when the user device 200 establishescommunication.

The short-distance wireless communication module 220 of the user device200 may be an NFC reader. Thus, the user device 200 can tag the imagephotographing apparatus 100 to engage in short-distance wirelesscommunication using NFC and read the connection information of the imagephotographing apparatus 100, which is stored in the NFC tag chip.

The controllers 130 and 230 are components that control the overalloperation of the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device200.

When the user device 200 tags the image photographing apparatus 100, thecontroller 130 of the image photographing apparatus 100 may change thecommunication module 110 from an inactive state to an active state andautomatically establish communication with the user device 200 using theconnection information and the activated communication module.

In detail, when tagging of the user device 200 is performed, thecontroller 130 may receive an interrupt signal from the NFC tag chip ofthe short-distance wireless communication module 120 and periodicallycheck whether the NFC signal is input from the NFC tag chip. Thecontroller 130 may activate the communication module 110 in an inactivestate according to the received interrupt signal or the checked NFCsignal.

When the communication module 210 is in an inactive state, if taggingbetween the user device 200 and the image photographing apparatus 100 isperformed, the controller 230 of the user device 200 may change thecommunication module 210 to an active state and automatically establishcommunication with the image photographing apparatus 100 using theactivated communication module 210 and the connection information thatwas read by the short-distance wireless communication module 220 (whichmay an NFC reader).

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram illustrating the configuration andthe connection between the image photographing apparatus 100 and theuser device 200. FIG. 3 illustrates the overall components of anembodiment in which the image photographing apparatus 100 has variousfunctions, such as a communication function, a video reproductionfunction, a display function, etc. According to some embodiments, somecomponents illustrated in FIG. 3 may be omitted or modified or othercomponents may be added.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image photographing apparatus 100 mayinclude the communication module 110, the short-distance wirelesscommunication module 120, the controller 130, a display 140, a storageunit 150, and the image capturer 160, and may carry out short-distancewireless communication and other types of communication with the userdevice 200.

In an embodiment, the communication module 110 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 carries out communication between the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200. In order to carryout communication between the image photographing apparatus 100 and theuser device 200 using WiFi or Bluetooth®, the communication module 110may include a WiFi chip, a Bluetooth® chip, or a wireless communicationchip. The communication module 110 may be maintained in an inactivestate prior to tagging by the user device 200.

The short-distance wireless communication module 120 may carry outshort-distance wireless communication such as NFC communication. WhenNFC communication is used, the short-distance wireless communicationmodule 120 of the image photographing apparatus 100 may include an NFCantenna and an NFC tag chip. The NFC antenna communicates with an NFCreader. When current is supplied to the NFC antenna from the NFC reader,the NFC antenna may form a magnetic field and transmit induction currentto operate the NFC tag chip. In addition, the NFC tag chip may transmitan interrupt signal or an NFC signal to the controller 130.

That is, when the controller 130 receives the interrupt signal from theshort-distance wireless communication module 120, or when the NFC signalis input to the controller 130 when the controller 130 periodicallychecks for the NFC signal, the controller 130 may activate thecommunication module 110 (which was previously in an inactive state) andautomatically establish communication with the user device 200 using theactivated communication module 110.

The display 140 is a component that displays an image. The display 140may display a live view in a pre-view mode, display an image captured bythe image capturer 160, or display an image stored in the storage unit150 in a reproduction mode.

When the communication module 110 is activated to automaticallyestablish communication and the display 140 is displaying a live view,the controller 130 may provide the live view to the user device 200.When the display 140 displays an image in a reproduction mode, thecontroller 130 may provide a reproduction image to the user device 200.Thus, the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 maysimultaneously or separately display the same content.

The storage unit 150 may store various software modules and data fordriving the image photographing apparatus 100, and may store an imagecaptured by the image photographing apparatus 100. In addition, thestorage unit 150 may receive position information detected by the userdevice 200, match the position information to the captured image, andstore the captured image.

The image capturer 160 may photograph a subject that is desired by auser via the image photographing apparatus 100. The image capturer 160may include a lens 160-1 and an image sensor 160-2.

In detail, the image capturer 160 may convert an optical signal incidentthrough the lens 160-1 into an electrical signal via an image sensor andcapture an image of the subject. In this case, the subject refers to anobject containing a background and a main object in the generatedcaptured image. The image sensor 160-2 may be a CCD image sensor or aCMOS image sensor. When light is incident on the lens 160-1, electronsmay be generated according to the amount of the light and an image maybe generated according to the amount of the generated electrons.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the image photographingapparatus 100 and the user device 200 carry out short-distance wirelesscommunication via NFC communication and carry out WiFi or Bluetoothcommunication.

That is, when a portion of the user device 200 at which where an NFCreader (i.e., the short-distance wireless communication module 220) islocated is tagged onto a portion of the image photographing apparatus100 at which the short-distance wireless communication module 120 islocated, current is supplied to the NFC antenna from the NFC reader toform a magnetic field and the NFC antenna may supply the induced currentto operate the NFC tag chip. The operated NFC tag chip may transmit aninterrupt signal to the controller 130 or provide connection informationto the user device 200. The connection information may be SSIDinformation stored in the NFC tag chip, which can be used by the userdevice 200 to pair and communicate with the image photographingapparatus 100.

That is, the controller 130 determines whether signals that are equal toor more than a preset amplitude are received at a preset interval. Ifsignals equal to or more than the preset amplitude are continuouslyreceived a preset number of times, the controller 130 may convert thecommunication module 110 from an inactive state to an active state andautomatically establish communication with the user device 200.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the userdevice 200. FIG. 4 illustrates the components in an embodiment where theuser device 200 has various functions such as a communication function,a video reproduction function, a display function, etc. According tosome embodiments, some components illustrated in FIG. 4 may be omittedor modified or other components may be added.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the user device 200 may include thecommunication module 210, the short-distance wireless communicationmodule 220, the controller 230, the display 240, a storage unit 250, anda detector 260.

In an embodiment, the communication module 210 communicates with theimage photographing apparatus 100. The communication module may includea WiFi chip, a Bluetooth chip, or a wireless communication chip forcommunicating with the user device 200 using WiFi or Bluetooth®. Thecommunication module 110 may be maintained in an inactive state prior totagging taking place between the user device 200 and the imagephotographing apparatus 100.

The short-distance wireless communication module 220 may carry outshort-distance wireless communication. The short-distance wirelesscommunication module 220 may be an NFC reader that carries outshort-distance wireless communication according to NFC. That is,connection information, etc. contained in the NFC tag chip may be readby tagging the NFC reader on a portion of the image photographingapparatus 100 containing the communication module 110. The connectioninformation may be SSID information stored in the NFC tag chip, whichcan be used by the user device 200 to pair and communicate with theimage photographing apparatus 100.

The controller 230 may change the communication module 210 from aninactive state to an active state by tagging the NFC reader on a portionof the image photographing apparatus 100 containing the communicationmodule 110, and may automatically establish communication with the imagephotographing apparatus 100 using the read connection information.

In addition, when the NFC reader receives additional informationcontained in the NFC tag chip, if communication is automaticallyestablished, the display 240 may display an image of a URL addresscontained in the additional information.

The URL address may be an address of an image for downloadingapplication executable by the user device 200 or an address of anexecution image of application when the application is pre-downloaded tothe user device 200.

The display 240 is a component for displaying an image. When the NFCreader is tagged on a portion containing the communication module 110 ofthe image photographing apparatus 100 in order to receive the additionalinformation contained in the NFC tag chip, and if communication isautomatically established, the display 240 may display an image of theURL address contained in the additional information.

In addition, when the communication module 210 is activated andcommunication with the image photographing apparatus 100 is established,the display 240 may change a display image according to a photographmode of the image photographing apparatus 100. That is, when the imagephotographing apparatus 100 displays a live view in a pre-view mode, theimage photographing apparatus 100 may receive the live view and displaythe live view on the display 240. When the image photographing apparatus100 displays an image captured by the image capturer 160 or an imagestored in the storage unit 150 in a reproduction mode, the imagephotographing apparatus 100 may receive the image displayed in thereproduction mode and display the image on the display 240.

The storage unit 250 may store various software modules and data fordriving the user device 200 and receive and store an image captured bythe image photographing apparatus 100.

The detector 260 may include various types of detection sensors such asa gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gravity sensor, a touch sensor,etc. according to the features and type of the user device 200. Inparticular, the detector 260 may include a position detection sensorsuch as a global positioning system (GPS), etc. Thus, when the pre-viewis received from the image photographing apparatus 100 and the pre-viewis displayed on the display 240, the user device 200 may be tagged onthe short-distance wireless communication module 120 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and position information may be transmittedto store the position information together with a position where theimage photographing apparatus 100 captures an image.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explanation of a method for automaticallyestablishing communication between the image photographing apparatus 100and the user device 200 using an NFC communication method.

The user device 200 turns on an NFC function (S505). The NFC function ofthe user device 200 selects ON.

The user device 200 is tagged on the NFC of the image photographingapparatus 100 (S510). In order to indicate portions of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 containing theshort-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220 for NFCcommunication, NFC communication indicators may be formed on outersurfaces of the image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device200. Thus, the accuracy of NFC communication may be improved via taggingon NFC communication indicators, which are on the portions of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 containing theshort-distance wireless communication modules 120 and 220.

When the user device 200 is tagged on the NFC of the image photographingapparatus 100, current flows to an NFC antenna of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 from an NFC reader of the user device 200,the NFC antenna generates a magnetic field based on the current flowingin the NFC reader and operates the NFC tag chip, and the NFC readerreads tag information (S515). The tag information may include connectioninformation and additional information. The connection information maybe SSID information stored in the NFC tag chip and the additionalinformation may be URL information. The SSID information may be used bythe user device 200 to pair and communicate with the image photographingapparatus 100. The URL information refers to a download address ofapplication supposed to be displayed or an address of application whenthe user device 200 establishes communication.

The NFC tag chip generates an interrupt signal (S520). That is, the NFCtag chip operated by the NFC antenna may generate the interrupt signaland transmit the interrupt signal to the controller 130 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100, and WiFi is turned on according to thetransmitted interrupt signal (S525). That is, the controller 130 mayconvert the communication module 110 from an inactive state to an activestate to turn on WiFI according to the transmitted interrupt signal.

In this case, the user device 200 converts the communication module 210from an inactive state to an active state to turn on WiFi (S530).

When the WiFi of the image photographing apparatus 100 and the userdevice 200 is turned on, the image photographing apparatus 100 mayoperate as an AP (S535). That is, the image photographing apparatus 100uses WiFi in an infrastructure mode during WiFi communication andoperates as an AP. A technology for wireless communication using an APas a relay is a known technology and thus a detailed description thereofis not given here.

The user device 200 operates as a client (S540). That is, the userdevice 200 may be connected to the AP of the image photographingapparatus 100 and operate as the client using the SSID information—i.e.,the connection information read by the NFC reader.

The WiFi connection of the image photographing apparatus 100 iscompleted (S545) and WiFi connection of the user device 200 is completed(S550).

When the WiFi connection of the user device 200 is completed, a defaultURL may be executed (S555). The NFC reader of the user device 200 mayhave received the default URL address as additional information togetherwith the connection information. The URL address may be an applicationaddress or a download address of application for displaying an image andvarious functions when the user device 200 communicates with the imagephotographing apparatus 100 over WiFi. Thus, when the user device 200displays an image captured by the image photographing apparatus 100, andan application for control of a function of the image photographingapparatus 100 is not present, a URL address of the NFC reader may beconnected to an image (e.g., a Google player) for downloading theapplication.

When an application is present in the user device 200, the user device200 may execute the URL read by the NFC reader to execute theapplication.

According to the aforementioned communication method of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200, a user may performa simple operation of tagging the user device 200 on the imagephotographing apparatus 100 to automatically establish communication.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating a signal when the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 performshort-distance wireless communication via NFC communication. The NFCreader of the user device 200 may be tagged on the short-distancewireless communication module 120 of the image photographing apparatus100 to generate an interrupt signal from the NFC tag chip of theshort-distance wireless communication module 120. Alternatively, thecontroller 130 of the image photographing apparatus 100 may periodicallycheck, by polling, whether an NFC signal is received.

In particular, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case in which the NFCtag chip generates an interrupt signal. The NFC reader is tagged on theNCF antenna to supply current and a magnetic field is generated in theNFC antenna. Then, when induced current is transmitted to the NFC tagchip, the NFC tag chip is operated. The operated NFC tag chip transmitsthe interrupt signal to the controller 130.

That is, as seen from FIG. 6, the interrupt signal transmitted to thecontroller 130 from the NFC tag chip is generated from a point of timewhen an NFC tag is recognized. When a sufficient period of time does notelapse after tagging, the interrupt signal does not reach a presetamplitude and is unstably applied to the controller 130. When thesufficient period of time elapses, the NFC tag chip applies a signalwith a preset amplitude to the controller 130. When the NFC tag movesaway, the transmission of the interrupt signal is stopped.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case in which the controller 130 of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 periodically checks, by polling, whether anNFC signal is input.

That is, the controller 130 may check signals generated from the NFC tagchip at a preset interval a preset number of times to determine whetherNFC communication is established. As seen from FIG. 7, the signals arechecked at an interval of 100 ms three times and high signals with apreset amplitude are continuously polled three times, and thus, thecontroller 130 may determine that the NFC signal is input.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the controller 130 may determine that NFCcommunication is established, activate the communication module 110(from an inactive state), and automatically establish communication withthe user device 200.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method for transmitting a live view capturedby the image photographing apparatus 100 to the user device 200, and forreceiving position information from the user device 200 whencommunication between the image photographing apparatus 100 and the userdevice 200 is automatically established.

The image photographing apparatus 100 executes an auto share mode (S800)and the user device 200 also executes the auto share mode (S805). Theauto share mode is a mode for sharing an image captured by the imagecapturer 160 of the image photographing apparatus 100 when wirelesscommunication between the image photographing apparatus 100 and the userdevice 200 is established.

Accordingly, when the auto share mode is executed, the imagephotographing apparatus 100 transmits the live view to the user device200 (S810). That is, an image captured by the image capturer 160 of theimage photographing apparatus 100 may be transmitted to the user device200 via wireless communication in real time.

The user device 200 displays the live view (S815). That is, the display240 of the user device 200 may display the image captured by the imagephotographing apparatus 100.

The user device 200 detects position information (S820). The detector260 of the user device 200 may include a position detection sensor anddetect a position where an image is captured using the positiondetection sensor. That is, the image photographing apparatus 100 and theuser device 200 are connected via wireless communication such as Wifi,Bluetooth, etc. and thus are present within a valid distance. Thus, aportion where an image detected by the user device 200 is photographedis positioned within a valid distance from the image photographingapparatus 100.

In addition, before and after the user device 200 detects the positioninformation, the image photographing apparatus 100 or the user device200 may capture an image.

The user device 200 is tagged on the NFC of the image photographingapparatus 100 (S825). When the tagging is performed, the user device 200transmits the detected position information (S830). That is, thecommunication modules 110 and 210, which were in an inactive mode, maybe activated and also transmit and receive various types of informationsuch as position information via NFC communication.

The image photographing apparatus 100 adds the position information tothe captured image (S835). In addition, the image photographingapparatus 100 stores the image and position information together (S840).

According to the aforementioned method, even if the image photographingapparatus 100 does not include a position detection sensor such as aGPS, a user may contain the position information in the image capturedby the image photographing apparatus 100 and store the image using aposition detection sensor included in the user device 200.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for transmitting photograph modeinformation via NFC communication and automatically displaying afunction appropriate for the transmitted photograph mode whencommunication between the image photographing apparatus 100 and the userdevice 200 is automatically established.

The image photographing apparatus 100 and the user device 200 areconnected via WiFi using the method described with reference to FIGS. 5(S905 and S910). When the user device 200 is tagged on NFC of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 (S915), the image photographing apparatus100 transmits photograph mode information (S920). The user device 200displays a function appropriate for the photograph mode (S925).

For example, in a pre-view mode in which the image photographingapparatus 100 captures an image via a live-view, the image photographingapparatus 100 may use an auto share mode in which the live-view capturedby the image capturer 160 of the image photographing apparatus 100 isshared, and a function of a remote view finder for inputting aphotograph command of an image captured by the image capturer 160 of theimage photographing apparatus 100 via the user device 200.

Thus, when the user device 200 is tagged on NFC of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and receives information of a pre-view mode,the display 240 of the user device 200 may display a plurality offunctions used in the pre-view function and be used to select afunction. In addition, the display 240 may display a preset function.

That is, in the pre-view mode, when the user device 200 is establishedto use the auto share mode, if the user device 200 is tagged on the NFCof the image photographing apparatus 100 and receives the information ofthe pre-view mode, the display 240 of the user device 200 displays animage in the auto share mode.

In addition, in a reproduction mode for displaying an image captured orpre-stored by the image photographing apparatus 100, the imagephotographing apparatus 100 may use a share function that involvesattaching an image reproduced in a reproduction mode to an e-mail andtransmitting the e-mail. The image photographing apparatus 100 may alsouse a mobile link function that involves selecting the image reproducedin the reproduction mode and transmitting the image to a smart phone ora tablet PC.

Thus, when the user device 200 is tagged on the NFC of the imagephotographing apparatus 100 and receives information of a reproductionmode, the display 240 of the user device 200 may display a plurality offunctions used in the reproduction mode and select a function. Inaddition, the display 240 may automatically display a preset function.

Additionally, when the user device 200 is set to use the mobile linkfunction, the user device 200 may be tagged on the NFC of the imagephotographing apparatus 100, receive information of a reproduction mode,and execute the mobile link function.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a controlling method for displaying a functionappropriate for a photograph mode to a user device by an imagephotographing apparatus.

When the image photographing apparatus 100 is automatically connected toWiFi (S1005), the image photographing apparatus 100 determines whetheran image displayed by the display 140 of the image photographingapparatus 100 is in a pre-view mode for displaying a live view (S1010).When the image is in the pre-view mode (S1010-Y), a pre-view image istransmitted (S1015). When the image is not in the pre-view mode(S1010-N), the image photographing apparatus 100 determines whether acurrent mode is a reproduction mode for displaying an image captured bythe image capturer 160 or stored by the storage unit 150 (S1020). Incase of the reproduction mode (S1020-Y), a reproduced content image istransmitted (S1025).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for establishing communication of theimage photographing apparatus 100. Whether tagging with the user device200 is performed is determined (S1105). When it is determined thattagging with the user device 200 is performed (S1105-Y), short-distancecommunication with the user device 200 is performed using ashort-distance communication module (S1110) and connection informationis provided to the user device 200 (S1115). In addition, thecommunication module 110 is automatically converted from an inactive toan active state (S1120) and communication with the user device 200 isautomatically established using the connection information and theactivated communication module (S1125).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method for establishing communication of theuser device 200. Whether tagging with the image photographing apparatus100 is performed is determined (S1205). When it is determined that thetagging with the image photographing apparatus 100 is performed(S1205-Y), short-distance communication with the image photographingapparatus 100 is performed (S1210) and connection information stored inthe image photographing apparatus 100 is read (S1215). In addition, thecommunication module 210 in an inactive state is automatically convertedinto an active state according to the tagging (S1220). In addition,communication with the image photographing apparatus 100 isautomatically established using the read connection information and theactivated the communication module 210 (S1225).

The image photographing apparatus 100 may receive a position detected bya position detection sensor of the user device 200 via short-distancewireless communication and perform short-distance wireless communicationto transmit a photograph mode of the image photographing apparatus 100to the user device 200. This embodiment has been already described indetail with regard to the aforementioned embodiments and thus aflowchart and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described thereinshould be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodimentshould typically be considered as available for other similar featuresor aspects in other embodiments.

While one or more embodiments of the have been described with referenceto the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in theart that various changes in form and details may be made therein withoutdeparting from their spirit and scope of as defined by the followingclaims.

All references, including publications, patent applications, andpatents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the sameextent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicatedto be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entiretyherein.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding, reference has been madeto the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific languagehas been used to describe these embodiments. However, no limitation ofthe scope of the disclosure is intended by this specific language, andthe embodiments described herein should be construed to encompass allembodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in theart. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing theparticular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of exemplaryembodiments. In the description of the embodiments, certain detailedexplanations of related art are omitted when it is deemed that they mayunnecessarily obscure the description.

The apparatus described herein may comprise a processor, a memory forstoring program data to be executed by the processor, a permanentstorage such as a disk drive, a communications port for handlingcommunications with external devices, and user interface devices,including a display, touch panel, keys, buttons, etc. When softwaremodules are involved, these software modules may be stored as programinstructions or computer readable code executable by the processor on anon-transitory computer-readable media such as magnetic storage media(e.g., magnetic tapes, hard disks, floppy disks), optical recordingmedia (e.g., CD-ROMs, Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), etc.), and solidstate memory (e.g., random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM),static random-access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, thumb drives, etc.). Thecomputer readable recording media may also be distributed over networkcoupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is storedand executed in a distributed fashion. This computer readable recordingmedia may be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed bythe processor.

Also, using the disclosure herein, programmers of ordinary skill in theart may easily implement functional programs, codes, and code segmentsfor making and using the embodiments described herein.

The various embodiments may be described in terms of functional blockcomponents and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may berealized by any number of hardware and/or software components configuredto perform the specified functions. For example, some embodiments mayemploy various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements,processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, whichmay carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or moremicroprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, where the elementsare implemented using software programming or software elements, theymay be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C,C++, JAVA®, assembler, or the like, with the various algorithms beingimplemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes,routines or other programming elements. Functional aspects may beimplemented in algorithms that execute on one or more processors.Furthermore, the embodiments described herein may employ any number ofconventional techniques for electronics configuration, signal processingand/or control, data processing and the like. Finally, the steps of allmethods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unlessotherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

For the sake of brevity, conventional electronics, control systems,software development and other functional aspects of the systems (andcomponents of the individual operating components of the systems) maynot be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, orconnectors shown in the various figures presented are intended torepresent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logicalcouplings between the various elements. It should be noted that manyalternative or additional functional relationships, physical connectionsor logical connections may be present in a practical device. The words“mechanism”, “element”, “unit”, “structure”, “means”, and “construction”are used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physicalembodiments, but may include software routines in conjunction withprocessors, etc.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the descriptionand does not pose a limitation on the scope unless otherwise claimed.Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in this art without departing from the spirit andscope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims. Therefore,the scope is defined not by the detailed description but by thefollowing claims, and all differences within the scope will be construedas being included in the disclosure.

No item or component is essential unless the element is specificallydescribed as “essential” or “critical”. It will also be recognized thatthe terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” and“having,” as used herein, are specifically intended to be read asopen-ended terms of art. The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” andsimilar referents in the context of the description (especially in thecontext of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both thesingular and the plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.In addition, it should be understood that although the terms “first,”“second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, theseelements should not be limited by these terms, which are only used todistinguish one element from another. Furthermore, recitation of rangesof values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method ofreferring individually to each separate value falling within the range,unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value isincorporated into the specification as if it were individually recitedherein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image photographing apparatus comprising: anear field communication (NFC) module; a wireless communication module;and a controller configured to control the NFC module to transmit taginformation for communication which uses the wireless communicationmodule to an user device in response to tagging between the imagephotographing apparatus and the user device and establish thecommunication with the user device using the wireless communicationmodule, wherein the tag information comprises an application informationassociated with an application to be executed by the user device forsharing image data stored in the image photographing apparatus.
 2. Theimage photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein theapplication information comprises URL information for downloading anapplication executable by the user device.
 3. The image photographingapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application informationcomprises address information on an execution screen of an applicationexecutable by the user device.
 4. The image photographing apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the tag information further comprisesconnection information for communication between the image photographingapparatus and the user device.
 5. The image photographing apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the NFC module comprises: an NFC antenna;and an NFC tag chip including a memory storing the tag information. 6.The image photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecontroller, in response to tagging of a user device being detectedthrough the NFC module, receives an NFC signal from the NFC module, andactivates the wireless communication module in response to the NFCsignal.
 7. An image photographing apparatus comprising: a NFC moduleconfigured to transmit tag information to an external device in responseto tagging between the NFC module and the external device, wherein thetag information comprises an application information associated with anapplication to be executed by the external device for sharing image datastored in the image photographing apparatus; a wireless communicationmodule; and a controller configured to control the wirelesscommunication module to establish the communication with the externaldevice, in response to tagging between the NFC module and the externaldevice, and transmit the image data to the external device executing theapplication.
 8. The image photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 7,wherein the application information comprises URL information fordownloading an application executable by the external device.
 9. Theimage photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein theapplication information comprises address information on an executionscreen of an application executable by the external device.
 10. Theimage photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the taginformation further comprises connection information for communicationbetween the image photographing apparatus and the external device. 11.The image photographing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the NFCmodule comprises: an NFC antenna; and an NFC tag chip including a memorystoring the tag information.
 12. The image photographing apparatus asclaimed in claim 7, wherein the controller, in response to tagging of anexternal device being detected through the NFC module, receives an NFCsignal from the NFC module, and activates the wireless communicationmodule in response to the NFC signal.
 13. An electronic devicecomprising: a near field communication (NFC) module; a wirelesscommunication module; and a controller configured to control the NFCmodule to transmit tag information for communication which uses thewireless communication module to an user device in response to taggingbetween the electronic device and the user device and establish thecommunication with the user device using the wireless communicationmodule, wherein the tag information comprises an application informationassociated with an application to be executed by the user device forsharing image between the electronic device and the user device.
 14. Theelectronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the controller, inresponse to tagging of a user device being detected through the NFCmodule, receives an NFC signal from the NFC module, and activates thewireless communication module in response to the NFC signal.
 15. Theelectronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the controller, inresponse to a control command being received from the user device,performs an operation based on the control command.
 16. The electronicdevice as claimed in claim 13, wherein the application informationcomprises URL information for downloading an application executable bythe user device or address information on an execution screen of anapplication executable by the user device.
 17. The electronic device asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the tag information further comprisesconnection information for communication between the electronic deviceand the user device.
 18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13,wherein the NFC module comprises: an NFC antenna; and an NFC tag chipincluding a memory storing the tag information.
 19. An electronic devicecomprising: a NFC module configured to transmit tag information to anexternal device in response to tagging between the NFC module and theexternal device, wherein the tag information comprises an applicationinformation associated with an application to be executed by theexternal device for sharing image between the electronic device and theexternal device; a wireless communication module; and a controllerconfigured to control the wireless communication module to establish thecommunication with the external device, in response to tagging betweenthe NFC module and the external device, and share the image data withthe external device executing the application.
 20. The electronic deviceas claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller, in response to taggingof an external device being detected through the NFC module, receives anNFC signal from the NFC module, and activates the wireless communicationmodule in response to the NFC signal.